The development and application in vivo of artificial oxygen carriers of known and controllable characteristics offers a new approach to the exploration of uptake, delivery and utilization of oxygen by the various tissues. We will focus our efforts on the production of artificial hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers with highly controlled physico-chemical and functional properties, and test their effects on specific animal models. It is a highly interdisciplinary effort which involves molecular simulations, crystallography, genetic engineering, chemical synthesis, renal function tests and brain physiology. The strategy of the program includes two main components: Molecular design and in vivo applications.